Washing machine



Nov- 1, 1932- s. E. SCHROEDER 1,885,953

WASHING MACHINE Filed Feb. 18, 1929 s Sheets-Sheet 1' Nov- 1, 1932. s. E. SCHROEDER 5,953

WASHING MACHINE Filed Feb. 18. 1929 S Sheets-Sheet 2 wmw ' Nov; 1, 1932.

S. E. SCHROEDER WASHING MACHINE Filed Feb. 18, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 3' Patented Nov. 1, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE I SIMON E." SCHBOEDEB, OF HINIEB, ILLINOIS WASHING MACHINE Application filed February 18, 1929. Serial No. 340,790.

from the center radially. On oscillation of such an agitator, a current is set up in the water in the tub running outwardly from the center along the bottom of the tub, turning up when it strikes the side walls of the tub, and running back to the center near the top of the water. Other types of agitators have been mounted on such a shaft but they are so constructed as to produce oscillating motion of the water in a circular path around the axis of the shaft. Such circulation as may be had in these types does not have so great a washing effect upon the clothes, due to the 2 comparatively local action of the water, as there would be if the circulation were across the full width or length of the tub. In the two types mentioned, the clothes tend to roll up into a wad or ball so that the water cannot carry the dirt away from the clothes quickly. In the present invention, the agitator is placed in the corner of the tub so that the water current may move across the entire width or diagonal of the tub and the clothes of necessity will follow that path. In so doing there is not the tendency of the clothes to roll up in a ball but rather a tendency for each article of clothing to stretch out and rub 4 against the adjacent articles instead of against itself. This permits a greater infiltration ot the water into the texture of the cloth and hence a greater washing effect.

The chief object of this invention, there- H fore. is to provide a washing machine having novel agita means by which clothing may be quickly and thoroughly washed.

Another ohjectis to provide a washing machine which requires a minimum expenditure of power and time to accomplish a given amount of washing.

Still another object is to provide a novel means for imparting an oscillating motion to the agitator from a source of power having a rotary motion.

A further object is to provide a novel means for disconnecting the oscillating mechanism without stopping the rotary motion of the source of power so that the latter may be used to drive, or continue to drive, accessory devices attached to the machine such as a wringer.

Other objects and advantages from the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in

which Figure 1 is a plan View of a washing machine embodying the features of my inven-" tion.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary plan view showing the actuating mechanism for the agitator.

Fig. 5 is an elevational view of the machine on a reduced scale.

While the invention is susceptible of various modifications and alternative constructions, I have shown in the drawings and will herein describe in detail the preferred embodiment. but it is to be understood that I do not thereby intend to limit the invention to the specific form disclosed but aim to cover all modifications and alternative constructions falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

In the exemplary form herein illustrated, the machine comprises a base frame 10 sup ported by suitable legs 11. Mounted upon the base frame 10 is a tub having side walls 12 and a bottom 13.

Briefly, the machine has an oscillatory agitator mounted in one corner of the tub, a vertical drive shaft projecting up through the bottom 13 of the tub adi acent one corner thercoi for driving the agitator and novel means for oscillating the shaft, mounted in the base frame 10 under the tub.

The machine is driven by a'motor 14 connected toa horizontal drive shaft 15 on which.

"a worm 16 is mounted. The latter drives a worm wheei 17; keyed to a vertical crank shaft 20 journaled in a portion of the base frame 10. 7 Above the worm wheel 17 the "crank shaft 20 has a double crank arm 21 The inner end of the reciprocating membe! 23 carries a vertical pin 24, the ends of which are mounted in blocks 25 sliding in two grooves 26. The lower of the grooves 26 is formed in a cross-brace 27 extending diagonally across the machine below the bottom 13 of the tub while the upper of the grooves 26 is formed in a bridge 28 secured to the cross=brace 27 by screws or the like.

Detachably connected to the pin 24 is a link 30 having a notch 31 at its inner end fitting around the pin 24. At its outer end the link 30 is pivotally connected to a crank pin 32 of a crank arm 33 formed on the lower end of a vertical oscillatory shaft 34 below the bottom 13 of the tub. The shaft 34 pro- Jects up through the bottom 13 near one corher of the tub and is journaled in two bearlngs 35 supported by a vertical stationary sleeve 36 surrounding the shaft 34. The sleeve 36 is mounted centrally in a stationary flange 37 secured to the bottom 13 of the tub by bolts or similar means. A gasket is placed between the flange 37 and the bottom 13 to prevent leakage of water therebetween. The ower end of the sleeve 36 extends through the bottom of the tub to form a stutfing box having a cap 38 and packing 39 surrounding the shaft 34 to prevent leakage around the shaft 34.

An agitator is positioned within the tub and surrounding the shaft 13 forming a driving connection therewith. The agitator comprises a tubular portion 40 closed at its upper end and surrounding the sleeve 36. Any suitable means of forming a driving connection may be used, the particular one employed in the present instance being a hexagonal portion 41 formed on the upper end of shaft 34. The tubular portion 40 has a correspondingly shaped pocket fitting over the hexagonal portion 41. The tubular portion 40 at its lower end is flared to form a flange 42 seated upon the stationary flange 37. Formed integral with the tubular portion 40 and flange 1y away from the corner of the tub.

The lower edge of the vane 43 is cut away as is indicated in Fig. 3 to prevent ossible wedging of articles being washed etween the vane and the bottom of the tub.

To prevent the crank arm 33, and hence 42 is a vane 43 projecting generalthe agitator, from oscillating too far in either direction, two pins 44 extend u ward from the cross-brace 27 to a height su cient to permit the crank arm 33 to strike them at the .ends of the stroke.

ent embodiment this means comprises a rod 45 journaled for pivotal movement in two bearings 46 secured on the under side of cross-brace 27. The inner end of the rod 45 is bent at a right angle to form a lever 47 and then u ward to form a pin 50 projecting througii a hole 51 in the cross-brace 27. When the pin 50 is in its uppermost position and the link 30 is at the extremity of its stroke, as shown in Fig. 1, a cam surface 52 formed on the inner end of the link 30 strikes against the pin 50, and the link 30 is moved out of engagement with the pin 24 as the former moves toward the other extremity of its stroke. A contractile spring 53 anchored to the bottom 13 of the tub and attached to the link 30 moves the link 30 back into en- .gagement with the pin 24 when the pin 50 is moved downward out of engagement with the cam surface 52 and holds the link 30 in such engagement.

The outer end of the rod 45 is bent at a right angle to form a lever 54 and attached to its end is a rod 55 extending downwardly along the inside of the leg 11. The lower end of the rod 55 is attached to a foot-lever 56 eccentric of the pivotal point of the latter. The foot-lever is pivoted on a screw 57 threaded into a lug on the inside of the leg 11. To operate the machine, assume the parts to be in the position shown in Fig. 4 with the motor 14 running. The crank shaft 20 is rotated through the worm 16 and wheel 17 cansing the member 23 to be reciprocated. The link 30 is also reciprocated because of its attachment to the member 23 by means of the notch 31 and pin 24. This motion causes the crank arm 33 to be oscillated, and hence the shaft 34 and the agitator, because of the fact that crank arm 33 has a greater radius than that of crank arm 21. It is apparent, then, that the vane 43 oscillates from a position parallel to one wall 12 of the tub to a position parallel to an adjacent wall.

In Fig. 4 the pin 50 is at its lowest position so that it cannot stroke the cam surface 52. To stop the oscillation of the agitator by disengaging the link 30 from the pin 24, the left hand end of the foot-lever 56, as viewed in Fig. 5, is then pressed down so as to raise the rod 55 and, in turn, raise the pin 50 by pivoting the rod 45. The pin 50 may be completely raised when the link 30 is in the position shown in Fig. 1. The cam surface 52 then strikes the pin 50 and the link 30 is forced out of engagement with the pin 24 against the action of the spring 53.

To throw the agitator back into oscillation, the righthand end of the foot-lever 56,

located near one corner of the tub, the vane has a motion similar to that of an oar extending from the stern of a boat to propel the boat by a sculling movement, and a current of water is set up which will run diagonally across the bottom of. the tub. On striking the opposite corner of the tub, the current is deflected upwardly to run back toward the agitator along the top, and it is also divided each side to run back along and deflected to the sides of the tub.

With such a 'current,,the articles beingv washed will tend to stretch out instead of roll up into a ball, and the water can more easily dissolve the dirt in the articles. It therefore is obvious that a washing machine is provided which requires a minimum expendit'ure of power and time to accomplish a given amount of. washing.

It is also apparent that a novel means for actuating-anagitator has been provided as well.as a novel means for stopping the oscillatory motion of the agitator while the drivmg means continues in operation to driveaccessory devices such as a wringer.

Iclaim as'my invention:

1. A machine of the character described comprising, in combination, a tub, an agitator therein .mounted on a vertlcal axis located adjacent one side of said tub and having a single 'vane, and driving means for said agitator.

- 2. A-machine of the character described comprising,'in combination, a tub, an agitator projecting from the bottom and having a vertical axis located adjacent one side of said tub, and oscillating driving means for said agitator, said agitator having a single vane adapted to extend generally toward" the center of the tub.

3. machine of the character described comprising, in combination, a tub, an agitator pro ectin from the bottom and adjacent one side 0 said tub,'and driving means for said agitator-including an oscillatory shaft, said agitator comprising a tubular portron forming a driving connection with said shaft and a single vane formed rigid with sald'tubular portion. 4. machine of the compnsmg, combination, a tub, an agitator projectm from the bottom and ad acent-one side 0 said tub, driving meansincharacter described cluding an oscillatory shaft, and a stationary part through which said shaft projects, said agitator comprising a tubular portion surrounding said shaft and forming a driving connection therewith, a flange seated. on said stationary part, and a single vane formed integral with said tubular portion and said flange.

5. A machine of the character described comprising, in combination, a rectangular tub, an agitator projecting from the bottom of said tub and having a vertical axis located in a corner of said tub, and driving means including an oscillatory shaft having a driving connection with said agitator, said agitator being adapted to oscillate from a position extending along one side of the corner to a position extending along the other side of the corner.

- 6. A washing machine comprising, in combination, a tub having a bottom and a side wall, an oscillatory agitator projecting from the bottom and having a vertical axis adjacent the side wall, and driving mechanism adapted to oscillate said agitator, said agitator comprising a single vane extending inwardly of the tub from said axis and operable on oscillation to generate a current of water flowing across the bottom, turnin upward on V striking the opposite side, and flowing back toward the agitator across the top.

7. A washing machine comprising, in cornbinatiom'a rectangular tub,'an oscillatory agitator projecting from the bottom of the tub and having a vertical axis located in a corner of the tub, and driving mechanism adapted to oscillate said agitator, said agitator comprising a single vane extending inwardly of the tub from said axis and operable on oscillation to generate a current oof water flowing diagonally across the bottom, de-' fiected upwardly and to each side when striking the opposite corner, and flowing back toward the agitator across the top and around the sides of the tub. I

8. A machine of the character described" comprising, in combination, asubstantially rectangular tub, an agitator therein mounted adjacent one corner of the tub. and having a single vane, and driving means for oscillating said agitator. n testimony whereof, I have hereunto aflixed my signature. c SIMON E. SCHROEDER. 

